Two men operating in the Plateau area produced up to 200 counterfeit credit cards a day in two different laboratories located within two apartments. Charged are Daniel Forte, 40, of Longueuil and Marc-Andre Blouin, 43, with several charges related to the possession and manufacturing of forged cards and documents.

At least 70 major banking institutions worldwide were hit, and the affected banks include CIBC, Chase, Citibank, Banamax, Royal bank, National Trust and Desjardins to name a few.

In the scenario, legitimate credit card numbers were swiped from two or three hotels of a luxury chain in Western Canada. Then, in Montreal some nine ago, 25 drivers’ license machines were stolen from several branches of the provincial automobile insurance board. Using the swiped numbers, and the drivers licence manufacture equipment, fake drivers’ licences were manufactured.

The Montreal made forgeries were sent abroad for distribution to drug carriers. In Canada, the cards were used to buy jewellery, gold pens, computers, and Rolex watches. These high end goods were then liquidated on the black market. Much of the originating ring operated in Europe.